Section CLXXVI

Therefore, if any wish both themselves rightly to know, and to narrate to others as is fitting, the true and sincere rationale of divine providence toward the human race, they must establish within themselves: 1) that the divine counsel concerning the salvation of men was not one thing before and another thing after the transgression of humanity as regards the matter itself and its substance. For just as before the transgression God willed the salvation of men, so after the transgression he willed that not even one should perish but that all, converted to penance, should enjoy everlasting felicity.

Nevertheless, 2) this difference intervened between the two divine counsels: before the transgression the counsel was one of goodness, but after the transgression a counsel of benign and just mercy. Of mercy indeed, because it regarded the wretched, afflicted by manifold wound and dripping with gore; but of mercy benign and just alike, because it proceeded from the natural benignity of God and decreed that οἰκονομία of the Redeemer by which the rights of divine justice which had been injured would be most perfectly repaired.

And indeed 3) the Redeemer came, satisfied justice by the blood poured out for all, again joined man, torn away from God, with God in himself, imparted life to dead humanity—

—and formed the whole race as a certain great body to be washed and cleansed.

By these things he attained this 4): that he liberated¹ the whole world from servitude and recalled our entire race, guilty of death because² all sinned—and the sting of death is sin—to each life, both of the soul and of the body. For it ought to be indubitable what Eustathius, Bishop of Antioch, ὁ πολὺς ἐν θεολογίᾳ, καὶ προσομιλητὴς καὶ μάρτυς καὶ κορυφαῖος τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου διδάσκαλος, excellent in theology, preacher, martyr, and supreme doctor of the Council of Nicaea, as Anastasius of Sinai speaks of him³, affirms in entirely express words concerning the Only-begotten⁴: οὗτος δὲ δικαίᾳ κρίσει σωφρονίζων ἅπαντας θρόνου μὲν οὐρανόθεν ἔχεται τῆς ἀϊδίου βασιλείας, ὀξείᾳ δὲ τιμωρεῖται δίκῃ τοὺς ἀδίκους. “He, giving a better mind to all from heaven by a just judgment, possesses the throne of the everlasting kingdom and punishes the unjust by a swift sentence.” Yet not before he has imparted to them a better mind, exempted them from servitude, and vindicated them into liberty.

For Eustathius, asking in what sense that which is written of Christ—that he was under the law—ought to be understood, says⁵:

Nor was the Word subject to the law, as the calumniators suppose, since he himself is the law; nor did God need purifying sacrifices, who by a nod alone purifies and sanctifies all things. ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ ἐκ τῆς παρθένου τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ὄργανον ἀναλαβὼν ἐφόρεσε, καὶ ὑπὸ νόμον ἐγένετο, κατὰ τὰς τῶν πρωτοτόκων ἀξίας καθαρισθείς, οὐκ αὐτὸς δεόμενος τῆς τούτων χρείας ὑπέμενε τὰς θεραπείας, ἀλλ’ ἵνα τῆς τοῦ νόμου δουλείας ἐξαγοράσῃ τοὺς πεπραμένους τῇ δίκῃ τῆς ἀρᾶς. But although he bore the human instrument assumed from the Virgin and was made under the law, being purified according to the rite of the firstborn⁶, he underwent these observances not because he himself needed this remedy, but that he might redeem from the servitude of the law those who had been sold to the condemnation of the curse.

Indeed, says Basil of Seleucia⁷:

The kings of the earth, after subjecting a hostile army, forcibly send rebels into a more hateful servitude and compel captives, their manner of life having been changed, to submit their spirit, exacting the punishments of their boldness. ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς ὁ ἀληθινὸς βασιλεύς, πολέμου νόμῳ καὶ οἰκονομίας σοφίᾳ, τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου τυραννίδα κρατήσας, τοὺς ὑπ’ ἐκείνου κατὰ δεσπότου φρονήσαντας, εἰς ἐλευθερίαν καλεῖ, καὶ πρὸς βασιλείας ἀπόλαυσιν μεταπέμπεται. But Christ, the true King, having overcome the tyranny of the devil by the arts of war and the wisdom of the Incarnation, calls into liberty those who, under him, had thought against the Lord, and summons them to the enjoyment of the kingdom. With a tranquil countenance, with hands outstretched, he attracts those returning to himself with human words⁸, saying: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you.” πέλαγος φιλανθρωπίας γενόμενος κεκυμένῳ ῥοθίῳ κατακλύζει τοὺς ἅπαντας. Christ, having become a sea of humanity, inundates all with waters poured forth.

“Come to me, all you who labor,” who arrayed the battle line of the devil against me; enjoy me with my goods and delights. You who are weary because you stirred up wars against me, receive rest at my giving; exchange the diabolical servitude for my kingdom. He wearied you by arraying you in battle against me; the enemy armed you by violation of the law; … there was no remission for you while you fought with me. ἀλλ’ ἰδοὺ πάρειμι πρὸς ὑμᾶς καλούμενος· δεῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι. But behold, I am present, calling to you: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened.”

Nor was it then for the first time that the Savior was present to men, but he always assisted them with his aid and protected them by his help.—

For⁹, ἀρχαῖος οὗτος τῆς φιλανθρωπίας ὁ νόμος, ἀεὶ ταῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων γενεαῖς παροδεύσας. εἰ γὰρ μὴ ταύτην ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν ὁ Θεὸς προεβάλλετο, οὐκ ἂν φύσις ἐκ παρακοῆς ἀρξαμένη προῆλθεν· ἀλλ’ ἔμεινεν ἂν μέχρι τοῦ πρώτου, “even from the very beginnings this law of benignity has always accompanied the generations of men. For unless God had set the shield of clemency before his own from the beginning, nature, which had taken its beginning from disobedience, would never have proceeded farther, but would have stopped at the first man.” Basil confirms this after enumerating the benefits¹⁰ with which God enriched the first parents and then describing their transgression, and immediately adds¹¹:

So bold a crime demanded the ultimate punishments. But Adam, struck by conscience, confirmed his condemnation by flight, and, not sustaining God with direct eyes, hid as a fugitive. τί οὖν; ἀθρόον ἐπιφανεὶς ὁ δεσπότης, ὤφθη τῆς ἐλπίδος φιλανθρωπότερος, καὶ πατρικήν, οὐ δικαστικὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπεφθέγγετο ῥῆσιν. Ἀδάμ, τὸ φιλοτίμημα ἐπιζητῶ, τὸ τῆς ἐμῆς ἀξίας ἔμψυχον ἄγαλμα. What, therefore? Immediately the Lord appeared and was seen to be far more benign than had been hoped, and he directed toward him the voice of a father, not of a judge. I seek Adam, the object of my love, the living image of my dignity. I know¹² the machinations of the devil against you; I know the envy by which, wounded, you fell… ἀλλὰ φάνηθι μόνον, καὶ τοῦ λυποῦντος δέχου τὴν ἴασιν· κομίζου τοῦ πταίσματος ἐν μετανοίᾳ τὸ φάρμακον. ποῦ εἶ; But only present yourself and receive the remedy of the evil; receive the medicine for your fall, laid up in penance. Where are you? He indeed discoursed such things with one sinner; νυνὶ δὲ γένεσιν ὅλοις ἀνθρώπων τὰς τῆς φιλανθρωπίας συνευρύνει φωνάς· δεῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι. καλῶς πάντες· μηδεὶς μικρολογίας καταγινωσκέτω δεσπότου· ἀνέκλειπτος παρ’ ἐμοὶ φιλανθρωπίας πηγή, καὶ πᾶν εἶδος ἁμαρτίας παρασύρειν ἰσχύουσα… νεύσατε μόνον πρός ἐμέ, καὶ τὴν θεραπείαν κομίσαθε. παρ’ ὑμῖν τὰ—

—ἁμαρτήματα, παρ’ ἐμοὶ τὰ ἰάματα· παρ’ ὑμῖν τὰ τραύματα, παρ’ ἐμοὶ τὰ φάρμακα· μετάνοιαν ἐπιζητῶ μόνον, καὶ θεραπεύω τὸ ἕλκος. δείξατέ μοι τὴν τοῦ τρόπου μεταβολήν, καὶ κομίσαθε τὴν τοῦ λυποῦντος ἀπαλλαγήν, but now he sends forth to the whole race of men that voice full of humanity: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened.” Excellently: all. Let no one accuse the Lord of narrowness of speech. With me is an unfailing fountain of clemency, capable of sweeping away every form of crime… Only incline toward me and carry away a cure. With you are the crimes; with me, the remedies. With you are the wounds; with me, the medicines. I seek penance alone and heal the ulcer. Show me the change of your manner, and carry away freedom from the evil.

Nor let there be those who, doubting, turn away; for thus, according to Basil as interpreter¹³, the Savior continues to speak:

οὐ στενοχωροῦμαι τοῖς πλήθεσιν· οὐκ ἀποκάμνω τοὺς πάντας ὑποδεχόμενος· οὐχ οὕτω μου μικρὸν τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τὸ πέλαγος, ὡς τοῖς εἰσρέουσι τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ποταμοῖς στενοχωρεῖσθαι· ἔχω τόπον ἀναπαύσεως τῆς οἰκουμένης· φωνὴν γὰρ δεσποτικὴν ἄπρακτον μένειν ἀδύνατον· δεῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες. I am not constrained by the multitude, nor do I grow weary although I receive all. The sea of my benignity is not so small that, although the torrents of criminals flow into it, it is brought into narrow bounds. I possess the terrestrial globe as a place of rest. For the voice of the Lord cannot remain inefficacious: “Come to me, all you who labor.”